Customizing A Classic Truck - Freedom Of Expression

One of the ideals of America is everyone is offered up a full serving of freedom. Now freedom can branch out into so many different contexts of this nation, but in terms of the Custom Classic Truck realm, I like to think freedom refers to the fact we can all build a truck suited to our tastes. For those after the ultimate in freedom of expression, this story is right up your alley—customizing.

2/28Here’s the rendering of Star Kustom Shop’s newest project. The rearend in the rendering will be created via customizing.

At first glance customizing is something that appears larger than life. Yet, when examining customizing beyond the creativity and persona, one would find it’s something that is easily accessible, affordable, and most importantly, possible. With simple supplies found at any metal yard, the most common of body tools and a little bit of creativity and ingenuity, one will find themselves up to their elbows in customizing in no time.

When it comes to customizing, various methods are employed. But when it comes to creating one-off works of art, there is no better method in terms of cost, time and practicality, than old-school customizing; the art of laying a skeleton of steel rod out and skinning it. By bending, twisting, tweaking and using any other form of manipulation on steel rods, one can design almost any type of look that they desire. Besides the design element, the final culmination of rods all welded together will act as a buck. At that point sheetmetal can be shaped and pulled around the buck to create a permanent sculpture. Then once the sheetmetal is tacked together the majority of the skeleton will be removed, and all that will be left standing is the new customized canvas.

As you’ll notice through this story everything is pretty basic. The use of English Wheels, Planishing Hammers, rollers, shrinkers and so forth are nowhere to be seen. Reason being is that old school customizing can be accomplished with simple body tools such as hammers, dollies and the like. However, the most important tool is the human mind. The use of one’s brain to use common objects around the shop to bend and shape metal is the biggest tool of all. When it comes to laying out the skeleton I use a combination of 1⁄2-inch electrical conduit and 1⁄4-inch rod. Both form of round stock are cheap and easily attainable, but most importantly they can be bent and shaped very easily. For most bends the use of the knee, a vise or a shaped object around the shop will work just fine. For tight and more intricate bends, I’ll apply some heat to the high-stress area via a torch. In terms of sheetmetal, I use both 18-gauge and 20-gauge cold, rolled sheetmetal. For more convex or concave panels, I’ll use 20-guage sheetmetal, whereas flatter big panel areas will receive an 18-gauge skin. Using the technique outlined I’m going to create a one-off custom rearend on Star Kustom Shop’s newest project, a radical ’57 Chevrolet. Once the rearend is laid out, a custom tonneau cover is also going to be created for the ultimate in a custom truck rearend. That’s about it. The rest is all trial by fire! CCT